The first direct search for exotic Higgs boson decays H $\to \mathcal{A} \mathcal{A}$, $\mathcal{A} \to\gamma\gamma$ in events with two photon-like objects is presented. The hypothetical particle $\mathcal{A}$ is a low-mass spin-0 particle decaying promptly to a merged diphoton reconstructed as a single photon-like object. Data collected by the CMS experiment at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 136 fb$^{-1}$ are analyzed. No excess above the estimated background is found. Upper limits on the branching fraction $\mathcal{B}( \mathrm{H} \to \mathcal{A} \mathcal{A} \to 4\gamma)$ of (0.9-3.3)$\times$10$^{-3}$ are set at 95% confidence level for masses of $\mathcal{A}$ in the range 0.1-1.2 GeV.

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